Masonry Magazine October 1976 Page. 19
Blocks to be laid by masons in five days (known in San Diego as a floor a week) so that the floor slabs can follow closely and the next floor can start the next week, everyone concerned with meeting the schedule is involved. The manufacturer must maintain quality of production as well as assemble blocks on pallets, in room or wall increments (that contain shapes required), for delivery to the job in such a manner that the Mason Contractor is not involved with moving a great deal of block from room to room in order to construct walls. He must know how many special shapes and different size blocks are required, where they are to be placed, and on which day they must be delivered; especially when the total number can be expected to exceed 140,000 units. San Diego Mason Contractors and manufacturers have worked well together since the first such project towards this end. Plans at the plant and on the job, and schedules of delivery, are well coordinated.
On the first project (Hanalei Hotel) ten inch high units were required at the top of each interior wall with recessed grids, while the exterior wall block was saw cut in an L-shape to receive the structural slab and allow the masonry module to continue at exterior walls, since most floor slabs in these projects are six inch nominal thickness. Holes for electrical outlets also were saw cut on the job by the mason. Recently, we have used a six inch high. 214 inch thick unit to module with the slab at this condition. On later projects, the manufacturer was making electrical units with block-outs to receive J-boxes. Where three hour walls were required, a thicker face shell was manufactured.
We also have open end blocks (one end open), double open end (H-block) and U-block for exterior corners, in standards and bond beam shapes, developed so the mason can just slip the block around the vertical steel, and electrical conduit, that are placed in the walls in various locations. Since the Hanalei, we have designed special textures, sizes and shapes known in the trade as home plate (shaped as such) key-hole and its companion, the hexigonal shaped block, both with a combed face.
The Mason Contractor on the Hanalei also used considerable ingenuity on this first project. For instance, each of the 207 hotel rooms required an eight foot wide lintel over the sliding glass balcony door. These were preassembled in an inverted position, then stiffened with a 14 inch rod clamped to each end of the lintel after the mortar had partially set. The following day it was possible to handle these lintels and place them over the openings. This procedure completely eliminated shoring, saved time, and improved the quality and appearance of the masonry.
Since reinforced masonry is normal in California, some shapes other areas of the country would consider special, are standard manufactured. The standard 8 x 8 x 16 unit is even different; it is a closed end one (called Pilaster Blocks in Dallas). The closed end block has been used for many years in California, rather than one with a slight recess (Engineered Block), since steel and solid grouting have been required for seismic consideration; and it is difficult to place steel and/or solid grout Engineered Block since the cells do not line up vertically and the recess is difficult to grout. Other modifications of our blocks have 1½ inch depressions at the top to receive horizontal steel. These are produced with the bottom open and closed.
The best size specialization of all for high rise masonry would be a six inch high unit; this would module with the six inch nominal concrete slabs we have for the short spans on hotel and barracks projects. A minimum number of other special shapes would be required. We bid this block on the Port O' Call Motor Inn and the Owner se- (Please turn page)
masonry • October, 1976
BRIGHTEN YOUR PROFIT OUTLOOK WITH
'JOB-RIGHT BIL-Jax
EQUIPMENT FROM
FOR THE MASON CONTRACTOR
MORTAR
BOARD STANDS
STEEL
SCAFFOLDS
SCAFFOLD
BRACKETS
HOIST
ARMS
WELL
WHEELS
CATWALKS &
METAL STAGES
PEDESTAL
SCAFFOLD
Write or
phone for
literature
and prices.
Bil-Jax
ARCHBOLD, OHIO 43502 PHONE 419-445-2045
Sales and Rental Outlets Throughout
United States and Canada
inc
BUCK HOISTOWERS
Efficient
gas or
electric
powered
models
with lifting
capacities
of 1200 to
5000 lbs.
heights up
to 300 ft.
SCAFFOLD WALK-BOARDS
Choose from steel or
aluminum; with expand
ed metal or plywood
decks. All popular widths
and lengths.
NEW!
Most complete
catalog in Bil-Jax
history. 16 pages.
Ask for Catalog
'76 today!